Electrode.



/IAMAIQWAM 6 W. A. SMITH.

yELECTRODE.

APPLICATION FILED4 MAY 29.1911.

1 I' UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEIoE.

WILLIAM AcHEsON SMITH, or NIAGARA FALLS, Nnwfyonx, AssreNon lTo INTEE- NATIONAL AcnEsON GRAPHITE coMPANY, or NIAGARA FALLS, NEW YORK, `A

CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

ELECTRODE.

Specification of Letters `Patentl Patented July 9, 1912, 'Application filed May 29, 1911. Serial No. 630,033.

To all whom t may concern l' Be it known that I, WILLIAM AoIIEsoN` I,specification This invention relates to electrodes for electric furnaces, the object of the invention being the provision of improved electrodes consisting of or containing conductive members disposed to provide an increased effective area at the'working end of the electrode, as compared with an equal lweight of conductor arranged in a compact prismatic or cylindrical form.

Certain preferred embodiments of t-he invention are illust-rated in the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figures 1, 2, 4 and 5 are transverse sectional views of certain electrode constructions; Fig. .3 is a longitudinal section on line III-III of Fig. 2; Fig. 6 is a plan view of another form of electrode; and Fig. 7 is an elevation of the construction show in Fig. 6.

It has been found desirable, for certain electrothermic purposes, to provide electrodes which may be of very large size, their transverse section often comprising several square feet. In such cases it has proven desirable, instead of constructing the electrode of a compact homogeneous mass or body of conductive material, as graphite or carbon, to distribute the conductive members in separated relation, often in conjunction with a filling or bedding 'mass of lower electrical conductivity.

According to the presen-t invention there is provided an improved electrode construetion wherein the conductive members are assembled in such manner as to provide an effiwhich may be left void or filled with material of lower conductivity according to the Intended use of t-he electrode.

It is further characteristic of the invention, 1n lts preferred embodiments, that certam of the conductive members are laterally exposed at the exterior of the electrode in such manner that effective electrical contact may be madewith them at any desired polnt.

n Referring to the drawings, the construction of Fig. 1 comprises conductive members 1, 2, alternately wider and narrower, whereby there are provided a plurality of interspaces or channels 3. The conductive members 1, 2, are usually of graphite, but may be of non-graphitic carbon. The relative ar-- rangement of these members is such as to provide a large elfective working area at the end of the electrode. The several members may be secured together by any appropriate means, as by the use of graphite pins 5.

The interspaces or channels may be'lled with a material of lower conductivity than the members 1, 2, as indicated at 4 in Figs. 2 and 3. This filling is preferably also of lower heat conductivity than graphite, and may comprise a mixture of coke and tar, other oarbonaceous material and binder, or a composition comprising a slag or slag-forming mixture appropriate to the use for which the electrode is intended, such mixture usually having cementitious properties.

Fig. 4 illustrates an essentially similar electrode, in which each of the wider mem- I bers consists of two laterally abutting conductive plates l, the joints being covered and secured by members 2 narrower than the combined width of the members 1, thereby providing parallel channels 3. In this as in all other cases, the channels may be filled as described in connection with Figs. 2, a.

Fig. 5 shows a further extension of the electrode, consisting in this case of a mult-iple series of three abutting plates 1, with intermediate members 2. This constructionI provides in addition to the exterior channels 3, interior channels 3", making a cellular electrode, whereof the channels or'interspaces may vbe filled or not.

A^ 'further modification is illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7, in which the plates 1 are assembled to provide acellular electrode consisting of a plurality of hollow prismatic forms having their adjacent sides in comwith abutting ends, as indicated at 6, 7 in Fig. 3.

1. An electrode having conductive members assembled in contact with each other to provide a plurality of. substantially parallel interspaces.

2. An electrode having graphite members assembled in contact with each other to provide a plurality of substantially parallel interspaces.

An electrode having conductive members assembled in contact with each other to provide a plurality of substantially parallel interspaces, said interspaces filled with a material of lower electrical conductivity.

4c. An electrode having graphite members assembled in contact with each other to provide a plurality of substantially parallel interspaces, said interspaces filled with nongraphitic carbon.

5. A prismatic electrode composed of con ductive members assembled in contact with each other,'and an intermediate filling ofmaterial of lower electrical conductivity.

6. A prismatic elect-rode composed Iof graphite members assembled in contact with each other, and an intermediate filling of material of lower electrical conductivity.

7. A prismatic electrode composed of graphite members assembled in contact with each other, and an intermediate filling of non-graphitic carbon.

8. An electrode comprising exterior members of conductive carbon assembled in con-A ductive relation to each other, and an intermediate filling of lower electrical conductivity.

9. An electrode comprising exterior members of graphite assembled in conductive relation to each other, and an intermediate filling of lower electrical conductivity.,

10. An electrode comprising exterior members of graphite assembled in conductive relation to each other, and an inter1nediate filling of non-graphitic carbon.

l1. An electrode comprising exterior and interior members of conductive carbon, and an intermediateiilling of lower electrical conductivity.

l2. An electrode comprising exterior and interior members of graphite, and an intermediate filling of lower electrical conductivity.

13. An electrode comprising exterior and interior members of graphite, and an intermediate filling of non-graphitic carbon.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM ACHESON SMITH.

Witnesses:

ORRIN E. DUNLAP, C. A. TRYON. 

